One popular type of window covering is the roll-up shade. This shade has a panel of window covering material attached at its top edge to a headrail. Two or more looped cords extend from the headrail down one side of the panel of window covering material, around the bottom edge of the panel and up an opposite side of the panel of window covering material into the headrail. The cords may then pass through a cord lock in the headrail or wind around a cord collector within the headrail. Movement of the cords into the headrail will cause the panel of window covering material to roll-up and movement of the cords out of the headrail will cause the window covering material to unroll. The looped cords are spaced apart from one another. The number of looped cords will depend upon the width of the window covering material but every roll-up shade has at least two looped cords.
In recent years there has been much concern in the window covering industry about child safety. There have been instances involving pleated shades and venetian type blinds in which a child's head and neck have become entangled in a cord loop that is used to raise and lower, or open and close, the blind and the child was strangled. Consequently, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has held hearings and proposed regulations that require looped cords in window covering products to be eliminated or require a device that breaks the loop in the event of entanglement or require a device that envelops or restrains the cord in such a way that a child could not become entangled in the loop. Roll-up shades have looped cords in which the panel of window covering material is captured. Although there has never been a reported incident of a child becoming entangled in a roll-up shade, some have observed that the loops in a roll-up shade pose the same danger as cord loops that are used to raise and lower, or open and close, other types of blinds.
Window coverings are purchased for decorative as well as functional reasons. Consequently, any child safety device that is added to a window covering product must not detract from the appearance of the product. If it does, a consumer will either not purchase the product or will remove the child safety device from the product.
Consequently, there is a need for a cord capture system for roll-up shades that will prevent a child from becoming entangled in the looped cords that carry the window covering material. Additionally, the cord capture system should be aesthetically pleasing and not detract from the overall appearance of the product.